What will it take to get a budget passed in Illinois?

The governor's office has declined to comment after a meeting between Illinois state Republicans and Democrats. (June 26, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here http://bit.ly/2n6VKPR)

The governor's office has declined to comment after a meeting between Illinois state Republicans and Democrats. (June 26, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here http://bit.ly/2n6VKPR)

What will it take to get a budget passed in Illinois? What has to happen for our politicians to abandon their partisan feuds, their petty peeves and their preoccupation with re-election?

I don’t think having our bond rating go to junk status would do it — they would all just resign themselves to paying exorbitant amounts of interest. Obviously, being the worst state financially hasn’t convinced them. They don’t seem to feel any embarrassment about not paying providers of services for the least advantaged among us. So what would it take?

Would it take all the school superintendents in Illinois banding together and refusing to open their schools in the fall until a budget is passed?

Would it take the University of Illinois closing its doors until a budget is passed?

Would it take having to close some bridges and/or roads because we don’t have the money to repair them?

Would Medicare patients being kicked out of nursing homes move you to pass a budget?

Would closing down mass transit in the Chicago area have any effect on the budget process?

Would a blue flu among all law enforcement agencies have any effect on your budget thinking?

Anyone with a grain of common sense knows that we must cut expenses and raise taxes to begin to remedy the financial mess that we’re in. Anyone who pays any attention to Springfield shenanigans knows that this is a very partisan political impasse with two prime players. We do not have time for their egos, and we don’t have time or patience to support those who simply parrot their positions.

I am willing to support any initiative, no matter how extreme, that forces those in Springfield to abandon their feuds and think about those they are elected to serve. And stop running campaign ads. They are extremely offensive — particularly coming from incumbents who promise the world after failing and failing and failing.